I could rave and rant all day but this tale sums up a lot of stuff that’s going on in our Malaysia now.
A lot of people, good meaningful friends included, always tell Nic and me to migrate when we still are young and have lots to offer.
I think I’m stubborn. I also think I’m not an immigrant. This is my home, this is my land as much as it is theirs. Come to think of it, why should I leave and play into their scheme?
I have brilliant Malay friends but I have never looked at them as “Malays”. They’re friends. Period.
I have friends who are Muslim converts.
In fact, my youngest sis is a Muslim convert. And my parents, though initially upset, have gotten over it. I was far more upset in the first place! But see, even me, stubborn old sis, has come to grips with the idea. It’s her life. Let her live it her way.
Perhaps someone should ask us Chinese, what makes us cringe? What are the policies that make us so mad? What is it that can’t get through to their heads? What? Is it that we are pork-eaters? Is it that we make more money? What? What is it?
We cannot live together until we get that resentment out of the system.
What’s good these days (post 8 March, post 26 August) is that the worms are crawling out of the woodwork – worms which have been dormant too long. Once the worms are purged, perhaps there is hope for a better Malaysia.
I say a better Malaysia because we live in an abundant land, we speak a multitude of languages, we are far more competent that we let on. We have skills. We have resources. We have diversity.
And we certainly have more than that little island down south. (But that little island down south has exceptional marketing. They can turn anything into something. This happens when they use their brains for real stuff, not for fighting each other. That’s the difference.)
But why oh why aren’t we using what we have to go further?
Why are we still battling each other, 51 years after Merdeka?
Roz wished me Happy Merdeka when I met her last Sunday.
We aren’t really in the Merdeka state of mind if we still have pettiness in our hearts.
Hihi Maya…thank you for visiting my site. i’m not so sure where you get my link, but i guess it’s from u-jean. 😀
Why are we still battling each other after 51 years of Merdeka…I guess it’s because every now and then the government&co brings up racial issues, making all of us ‘sensitive’ towards each other, and so, instead of accepting the good and the bad about each other, we try to ‘adjust’ to each other. By bringing up racial issues, i think that is how the government retain their power over the citizens. Otherwise, why would UNMO, MCA and MIC exists? If they don’t bring up racial issues…den the existence of those racial based party would be irrelevant, hence, they cannot ‘cari makan’.
Ermm… I took the liberty of adding you to my blogroll. I really hope you don’t mind. 😀
Have a good weekend and take care.
Hi cleffairy
No problem. I added you too to my blogroll. Welcome!
You are right. What is a race-based political party with race as the main issue? I believe Malaysians are far more mature and wise than these old fogies think we are. Maybe in those days playing the race card got exciting and popular but now? With global competition in our faces, why don’t we focus on how to get better and compete on world-class status with other nations like Korea, Japan, China? Why are we so myopic as to focus on ourselves and ruin ourselves? Why do we focus on stupid issues when we can all share the cake and wealth?
i think by not speaking up about certain things we are keeping them pent up inside, everyone included. people will misunderstand others more and more and become more prejudiced towards each other.
like u said, krista, until we we purge it all out, we will never move on. it’s the same for all relationships. but purge here should mean addressing the issues and finding solutions not making public discriminatory and derogatory remarks.
My English lecturer encouraged us to read the book during my Foundation year. I think I was the only one was interested to read it, so she personally lent it to me. I thought the first few parts were quite dry, but then as I read on, the story got me thinking – really thinking.
Just heard of news of some parties quitting, etc. And everyone is waiting to see what’s going to happen on September 16. Will May 13 repeat itself, maybe this time among the elite? Or will things turn for the better?
It’s true, as per said by you and Yu Jean, the best way is probably to lay all out in the light and move on. But looking at how things are handled now, they’ll just probably find more fault than solutions, start blaming one another and then the whole cycle starts again. It’s all in the mentality.
The whole political scene is getting a wee bit childish, don’t you think? Racist remarks, and all the endless drama – let’s not even talk about competing with other countries, because when it comes to providing political entertainment even on the international scale, we’ve probably won hands down. 😀
i was in taiwan without knowing such chaos happened here. i even laughed over their money laundering scandal …
but now, i just feel like going back to taiwan and know nothing about malaysia and those jokers anymore.
@ u-jean: Yes, we need to ‘detox’ first before we can do anything. Too much anger, too much disatisfaction, too much hate. Hmm, I wonder if I can use that word. Jealousy even. But what is the real purpose of all this drama? To stir up sentiments among the Malays so that they divert their attention from the real issue at hand: that they are losing support, they are losing attention already. No one cares a damn about them. That guy is just trying to put the spotlight on himself and be the ‘hero’. Hero, my foot.
@ Vern: Yup, as I say, you can’t argue with fools. And they are fools. They are absolutely crappy and it’s really sometimes very trying to even get some sense into them. I say, leave them to bark as they wish. In time, especially when Sept 16 comes around, I pray things will change. For the better.
@ Siewheymui: You are lucky to be spared such rubbish. The politics in Malaysia is becoming such a farce. We have hooligans and ruffians here.